During gear engagement processes in automatic transmissions in which a form-locking shift element to be engaged has to be synchronized and at least one other, frictional shift element is involved, according to the prior art an additional shift element, which is not involved in the gear to be engaged but which serves as a synchronizing shift element is actuated so as to synchronize the form-locking shift element to be engaged. Disadvantageously, when the form locking shift element is engaged, then although the synchronizing shift element has already been disengaged torque is present at the form locking shift element which can prevent the claws of the form locking shift element to be engaged from being pushed fully home to their end position.